Photographic plate holder



Aug. 8, 1939. E. DU 8. LUKlS 2,168,418

PHOTOGRAPHIC PLATE HOLDER Filed Jan. 21, 1938 1 1f- 52 3 20 i 1 I JEWEL 'INVENTOR. fi l-um! in 13015 $I%I)J P tented Aug. 8, 1939 smears PATENT OFFICE rnorooasr'mo mm norm-1a T Ernest duBoia Lnkia, New ms, N. Y.. assignor to E. Lelta, Inc., a corporation of New York sppucaan smus -u, 193s, no. 186,066' I I I j 1cmm.'(o|.ss.-z4) I The object ofthis invention is to provide an slide to close up the exposure opening from beimproved photographic plate holder especially adapted to contain photographic film for use in photographic apparatus, especially enlargers.

'One object of the invention is to provide, as a,

I new article of manufacture, a photographic plate thin plate which is pivoted'in the top recess II by meansof pintles as shown at l4, It. The

holder for use with enlarging apparatus'either for enlargingpurposes or for direct photographic purposes. Another object is to provide a plate holder to be made and sold as an accessory to photographic enlargers of different types and dimensions. Still another-object is to provide a photographic film holder having means such as a hinged member for flattening the film and keeping the film fiat without scratching it.

With the foregoing and other objects in view the invention is embodied inja photographic plate holder constructed as hereinafter set forth and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which i Fig. 1 is a top plan View of the plate holderpartly open and with parts broken away.

Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the plate holder partly open to show the exposure opening and with parts broken away.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view'of the plate holder showing the same fully opened tobe loaded with film.

Fig.4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the plate holder showing it closed and loaded with Fig. 5 is an: outline view of an apparatus with'whieh the improved plate holder may be used.

Referring to the drawing the plate holder w.- 1

slate ofa rectangular frame I. the central portion of which is depressed or recessed on both sidessoastoformatoprecess llandabottomrecess II. The top recess II is the bottomrecesssoastomakeroomfora-filmfiattening and holding'member It in-the form of-a numeral ll denotes an exposure 0 extend- Dem ing through the wall" It which lies between the twolrecesses II and II.

The top recess II- is provldedwith undercut ways l1 in-whicha topcovu ltisadaptedto slide in over and on top-of the plate II to keep the latter in position and close the plate holder in the top as shown in Fig. 4,- thecqver having overhanging portions '80 for closing the recess ll li h l The bottom recess is provided with undercut ways llinwhtehabottomeoverflisadaptedto low, the cover having an overhanging portion II for closing the recess'illighttight The plate holder asan article of manufacture and photographic accessory is complete as it aps pears in sectionin Fig. 4 where'both the slides I8 and 2! are completely'closed. Both slides have grip portions 2| and22 respectively for moving them in and out as will be understood. When the plate holder is to be used, the top slide l8 10 is removed'or pulled out as in Fig. 3 and the film holding member I3 opened up. A piece of film 25 is placed over the exposure'opening I5 with the sensitized surface down. The film is shown curved because that is the natural form of a l6 piece of film when it is cut from a strip. Then the member I; is dropped down on the film whereby the latter is automatically 'fiattened in. proper position within the top recess H and over the exposure opening. Next the top slide cover go It is pushed in over the member It as in Fig. 4

. and the holder is now loaded with film 25 ready for use. This loading operation takes place in the darkroom. The film is now within the holder I protected against light. The holder may be han- 25 dled in daylight and is now inserted in the enlarger or other photographic apparatus the same as plate holders are inserted in cameras. when an exposure is to be made, the bottom slide cover is pulled out as in Fig. 2 and the film is exposed go through the opening it. Thereafter the bottom cover II is closed and the plate holder with the exposed film is removed, opened and the film taken out to. be developed.

' Fig. 5 shows a well known type of photographic is a casing ll which contains an electric lamp,

not shown. The frame 38 has a recess 42.

- adapted to receive a plate holder. In the manufacture of enlargers the recess Q; is made of certain definite size to accommodate a plate holder specially made to fit the recess. Hence, the in- 5 stantplateholderwillbemadetofitrecessesofparticular enlargers with which the plate holder is to be used. The particular dimensions of the plate holder and the shape thereof as disclosed illustrate only tures of the inventionf In the drawing the sev- I eral parts in'cross section are shown much enlarged for the sake of clearness. The particular manner of making and assembling parts is notilluatrated.

one example embodying the feathe several The several members of the frame itself may conveniently be made of suitably cut out and shaped layers of metal. This being no part of the invention is not shown.

If it is desired to enlarge a developed picture on a film the following method may be used. The

. film picture is placed in the recess 42 and focused upon a piece of paper which is placed upon the base 35. Thereafter said paper is removed, a sensitized paper placed on the base and exposed to photograph an enlarged reproduction of the film picture. I

The enlarger may also be used for photographing an object placed on the base 35. In this case any film picture in the enlarger is focused as described above. Thereafter the object tobe photographed is placed on the base 35. The instant plate holder loaded with an unexposed film is inserted in the frame recess 42 and the bottom cover 20 is opened. object which is then photographed upon the film 25. Then the plate holder is closed and removed to develop the film as will be understood.

It will be seen thereforethat in order to positlon the exposure opening I: in the optical axis of the enlarger or other photographic apparatus, and in order to place said opening laterally in-' correct relation to said optical axis it is necessary that some means he provided for positioning the upon the type of enlarger used. However, to illustrate. by way of example one type of guiding means, the plate holder herein disclosed is provided with three pins 5!, 5| shown only in Fig. 2. These pinswill be positioned to fit corresponding Light is caused to fall upon the guiding means in the enlarger recess, not shown.

In other types of enlargers the shape and dimension of the plate holder frame may serve to guide it into. position. It will further be understood that it is not material whether the covers are movable in the same direction or. from any particular side ofthe frame. Neither is the precise position of the pivoting means for the member l3 material. In fact, it is within the scope of the invention to employ a film flattening member which is not hinged to the plate holder but merely laid down upon the film before the top cover is closed. The covers may have punched up buttons 52 adapted to snap into depressions 53 or vice versa, whereby to prevent accidental dis placement of the covers.

I claim-- A photographic film plate holder comprising a relativelythin fiat rectangular frame having an exposure opening through the same, a hinged member within said frame being swingably moved into "a relatively open position to admit a piece of film to be placed over the exposure'opening in the frame, said member being swingably moved into a relatively closed position to contact said film to flatten the same without scratching that part of the film which covers the said opening, said member being larger than the film so as to overlap the same, a removable top cover to keep the said member in contacting relation with the film and for closing the frame'lighttight from. above and a removable bottom cover for closing the frame lighttight from below, said covers being countersunk within the said frame.

ERNEST pU BOIS LUKlS. as 

